Portable electronic devices often include display panels for displaying various types of images. The display panels are often controlled by a display timing controller that selectively drives the pixels of the display panel according to image data stored within a buffer memory of the display timing controller. In many application settings, the buffer memory comprises much, if not most, of the silicon area for a chip-based display timing controller. Moreover, the buffer memory can account for much, if not most, of the overall power consumed by the display timing controller.
Portable electronic devices are typically powered with a portable power source, such as a battery. It is desirable to reduce the power consumed by components within the portable electronic device to extend the useful battery life of the portable electronic device. Further, it is also desirable to reduce the cost associated with production of portable electronic devices and the components within the portable electronic devices.